Fort Scott, Government

The Fort Scott City Commission Agenda for Oct. 2

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AGENDA

FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION

FORT SCOTT CITY HALL

COMMISSION ROOM

123 SOUTH MAIN

OCTOBER 2, 2018

6:00 P.M.

I. ROLL CALL:

ADAMSON BARTELSMEYER NICHOLS PARKER MITCHELL

II. FLAG SALUTE

III. INVOCATION: Post Chaplin, Retired Army Chaplin, James Collins, Pastor, First Southern Baptist Church

IV. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS: Presentation of Certificate of Support to the City of Fort Scott from the American Legion

V. CONSENT AGENDA:

  1. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of September 18th, 2018.

  1. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1224-A totaling $284,542.13.

  1. Resolution 40-2018 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure located at 14 S. Margrave – Public Hearing Date – 11/20/2018 – 6:15 p.m.

  1. Parade Permit – Pioneer Harvest Fiesta – October 18th, 2018

VII. APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:

  1. APPEARANCE:

Penny Pollock Barnes – Tri-Yak-A-Thon – Gunn Park

Chris Sather – Tigers on the Move Event at Riverfront Trails – 10/12/2018 – 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Bob Guilfoyle, Craig, Zach – Craw-Kan – Buildout plans for Fort Scott

B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute limit per citizen)

C. PUBLIC HEARINGS/COMMENTS:

VIII. CONSIDERATION:

  1. Discussion of 523 S. Main Street
  1. Masonry Repairs – Water Treatment Plant and Wastewater Treatment Plant
  1. Use of Riverfront Park

IX. COMMENTS:

  1. Director Updates: Rachel Pruitt – Economic Development update

Rhonda Dunn – US Cellular Tower & Flag Pole

  1. Commission:
  1. City Attorney:
  1. City Manager:

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

I MOVE THAT THE CITY COMMISSION RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE

SESSION FOR ________________________________ IN ORDER TO

(see below justification)

DISCUSS ______________________________________. THE

EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE ___________ MINUTES AND THE OPEN

MEETING TO RESUME AT ________________.

Justifications for Executive Sessions:

  • Personnel matters of non-elected personnel

  • Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

  • Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative or representatives of the body or agency

  • Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

  • Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

X. MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT: ROLL CALL

Area News, Entertainment

Tri-Yak-A-Thon Oct. 13

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The Gunn Park Trails volunteers would like to invite everyone to enjoy the fall weather and join us for the 6th annual Tri-yak-a-thon. 

This year’s proceeds will benefit the new bike share program. The event will take place on October 13 at 10:00 AM in Gunn Park.

 The Tri-yak-a-thon is a race where participants run on Gunn Park’s beautiful trails, kayak up and down the Marmaton River, and then tackle the trails again on a bike. 

The goal of the event is to have fun and raise money to support the bike share program.

 The trail run is approximately 4 miles, the kayak portion is 2.5 miles, and the final portion is a 7-mile mountain bike ride.  Participate as a relay team, or if you are tough enough you can do the entire race as a solo participant. 

You must bring your own kayak, life jacket, helmet, and mountain bike. 

Riders must wear a helmet.

Onsite registration and packet pickup will be from 8:00 to 9:45 AM at Shelter House 6.  You can register online at https://www.trireg.com/tri-yak-a-thon.

The race will begin at 10:00 AM. 

Whether you enter the race or just come and cheer, please join us and support our park, our trails, and our bike share program.

We would like to thank our generous sponsors:

UMB Bank

Landmark Bank

Briggs Auto of Fort Scott

City State Bank

Smallville Crossfit

Papa Don’s

Brock Electric

Southwind Cycle and Outdoor

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

What’s Happening in Fort Scott by the Chamber of Commerce

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28-29
Weekly Livestock Sale at Fort Scott Livestock Market. Starting at 10am both Fridays & Saturdays Fridays:  Cows, Pairs, Big Bulls
Saturdays:  Stocker & Feeder Cattle, followed by any cows & bulls that come in late Friday & Saturday. Cafe open both sale days. You don’t have to be a buyer just to come watch the sale and visit the cafe!
28-29
50-min. narrated Trolley Tours of Historic Fort Scott on the hour, Fridays 11am-4pm, Saturdays 10am-4pm, leaving from the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 231 E. Wall St., $6 adults, $4 children 12 and under, last tour leaves at 3pm.
28
Friday Night Concert in the Park – Heritage Park Pavilion, 1st and Main St. in downtown Fort Scott, 7-8pm – the show will feature a group of performers drawn from Allen, Bourbon and Linn Counties. Some of the performers will be familiar to regular concert attendees while others will be making their first appearance. They are all very accomplished musicians and entertainers. The program will be similar to one presented by this group last year that was very well received.
29-30
Doug Hazelbaker Memorial Breakaway, Calf Roping and Steer Wresting at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds – Bourbon Co. Fairgrounds, across the street from Fort Scott Community College

Brian Lumley in concert at the Fairgrounds following the Doug Hazelbaker Memorial from 9-11pm

See flyer below for more details!
29
Farmers’ Market – Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort, 8am-12pm. You will find homegrown and freshly picked fruits, vegetables, herbs & more in addition to baked goods and some craft items.
29
Fort Scott Community College Football home game vs Garden City at 11am
29
29
The Legionnaires of American Legion Post 25 anniversary dinner has been canceled
Oct.
2
Fort Scott Middle School Pizza Hut Nights Fundraiser
2
Downtown Quarterly Meet & Greet hosted by the Chamber at Iron Star Antiques & Such, 8:30-9:30am
2
Story Time – Fort Scott Public Library, 201 S. National Ave., 10-11am
2
Kiwanis Meeting – FSCC Heritage Room,
12-1pm
2
T.O.P.S Meeting – Buck Run Community Center, 3-4pm
2
Farmers’ Market – Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort, 4-6pm. You will find homegrown and freshly picked fruits, vegetables, herbs & more in addition to baked goods and some craft items.
2 City Commission Meeting – City Hall, 6-7pm
3 Story Time – Fort Scott Public Library, 201 S. National Ave., 10-11am
3
Fort Scott Community College Cross Country & Track Program Team Fundraiser – Papa Don’s, 10:30am-8pm
3 Rotary Meeting – Presbyterian Church, 308 S. Crawford St., 12-1pm
3 Monthly Grief Support Luncheon hosted by Cheney Witt Chapel – Carriage House, 301 S. Main St., 12-1pm
3 Adult Coloring Program – Fort Scott Public Library, 201 S. National Ave., 2-4pm
3 TAG – Teen Advisory Group – Fort Scott Public Library, 201 S. National St., 4-5pm
4 Join us for the weekly Chamber Coffee of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at 8am. This week’s Chamber Coffee be hosted by Gordon Parks Museum
4 Bereavement Support Group – Mercy Hospice, 11am-12pm

This event is for any one who has experienced a loss and is in need of some support. You may call Melissa George at 620-223-8533 for more information
4 Kiwanis Meeting – FSCC Heritage Room, 12-1pm
4 Mentor Orientation for the Chamber – Fort Scott Mentor Program 2018-2019 School year – Sharky’s Pub & Grub, 3rd Floor, 5:30-6:30pm
4 Thursday Card Players – Buck Run Community Center, 735 Scott Ave., 6-9pm
5-6 15th Annual Gordon Parks Celebration

Click here to view more information about the event
5 Manufacturing Day in Fort Scott including tours of Labconco, Niece and Peerless as well as FSCC John Deere, Welding Schools, breakfast and/or lunch – 8am-1pm

Click here for more information about this event
Fort Scott Community College

STEM at FSCC by Briana Blandamer

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Franklin Torres warming a hydrogen-filled balloon.

On the morning of September 26, the STEM Club at Fort Scott Community College held demonstrations to show other students what STEM Club is all about.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

There is an extra bonus for joining the club.

The STEM club offers a scholarship to pay for books and tuition up to 15 credit hours to all qualifying members.

The club demonstrations Wednesday included the shooting of a potato gun, the bursting of hydrogen-filled balloons, and even some hair-raising with electricity using a Van de Graaff Generator, provided by Elie Riachi, the FSCC Physics, and Physical Science Instructor.

Trenton Allison loading the potato gun.

Students joined in, during their passing periods, to watch the demonstration and enjoy a donut or two, donated by Fort Scott’s Price Chopper.

The current STEM Club members would like to be a part of more activities and competitions, but they do not currently have enough members to do so. The FSCC STEM Club is searching for eager students to join them.

FSCC Student Megan Thomas takes part in the hair raising experiment, using the Van Der Graaff Generator.

This club creates an opportunity for students to learn more about these subject areas, while also having fun doing some interesting experiments and even some engineering.

For example, Trenton Allison, a STEM Club Member, built his own drone.

FSCC studentTrenton Allison’s drone he built.

The STEM Club is sponsored by Robert Doyle, FSCC’s Chemistry Instructor.

Consider joining the STEM Club today and become a part of something that makes learning fun.

For more information, contact Mr. Doyle via email at [email protected].

Student Jon Barnes, enjoying the hair-raising experiment with Kassie Fugate-Cate,

 

Opinion

Fake Money by Patty LaRoche

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With Dave asleep and my ten-dollar-missionary-money due at this morning’s Bible study, I needed to retrieve my emergency stash from its hiding place. Imagine my surprise when I found not only a ten-dollar bill but a one–hundred-dollar one as well. It was Christmas in September! I happily stuffed the money into my purse, headed to the Bible study and placed my $10 in the missionary collection.

Following that meeting and returning home to organize my day, I could hardly wait to share with my (now) awake husband about my windfall. This was happy news for Dave. He asked if I would exchange that bill for five-twenties. No big deal. It all spends the same. Dave handed me the twenties, and I gave him the $100 bill. He paused, rubbed it with his fingers and immediately appeared to lose his happiness. Holding the bill close to my face, Dave pointed out that I had missed one teensy, weensy matter, like the faded words “Play Money” stamped next to Benjamin Franklin’s picture. (And yes, if you are wondering, there was a certain “I think you have done this intentionally and find this funny” tone to his voice.)

Which was ridiculous. This was not Monopoly money. These bills were made to look real, and other than their size, thinness and that nearly invisible “Play Money” wording, could fool anyone…well, except Sherlock Dave.

Thankfully, I had not tried to pass my counterfeit find off at Price Chopper, the top of my errand list. But then it dawned on me. What if my $10 missionary payment also was play money? And what if next Monday, Billie Jo Drake, our Bible study leader, held it up and asked if anyone in our group was missing a fake, ten-dollar bill? Yikes!

When Dave realized that I was clueless (Save your comments), he seemed stunned that I had made such a careless mistake. (Seriously? We’ve been married 45 years. He should be used to this by now). Still, my immediate problem was not my husband; it was having to admit to Billie Jo that I was an idiot. My happiness, like the Play Money wording, was fading. Could I somehow avoid this phone call? Pride sure wanted me to.

I reminded myself that little things like repenting to Bible study leaders is minor compared to acknowledging my failings to God, even though He knows about my sins (and yours—you’re not off the hook here) before I even commit them. Which, when you think about it, should make contrition rather easy. And it would be, were it not for Pride.

Blame it on Adam and Eve. They were the ones who originally disobeyed and hid from God instead of repenting, and since Pride worked so well in the Garden of Eden, maybe that is why Satan relies on it being just as effective today. But there is hope! Even though erring is part of our sinful condition, repenting is a privilege of our Christian condition.

It’s true. God doesn’t bang His head on a table when His children mess up. He knows what we are going to do before we do it. All He asks is that we ask for forgiveness.

It was time to call Billie Jo and…Gulp… try to explain what I had done. She was gracious, checked the bills and told me that none were phonies. I thanked her (and Jesus) and hung up. Hubby wasn’t quite so understanding. He stood there with his hand outstretched, expecting me to give back his twenty-dollar bills and definitely not happy that he had been had…proving my point that no one is exempt from Pride.

Area News

Free Online Resources for Veterans

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FREE ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR VETERANS
FREE ONLINE SKILL-BASED CLASSES

Vets Prevail: Provides individualized evidence-based (CBT) mental health interventions to individuals who otherwise may not be able or willing to engage with traditional avenues for care. Its interface is very interactive, almost reminiscent of a video game, and Veterans earn points for completing courses that they can trade in for gift cards. https://www.vetsprevail.org/

PTSD Coach Online: Tools for coping with sadness, anxiety, and other symptoms that people who have been through trauma can develop. Some tools are brief and can help you relax when you feel stressed, or improve your mood, for example. Longer tools teach you how to tackle difficult problems, change thinking patterns, and take steps to achieve your goals. http://www.ptsd.va.gov/apps/ptsdcoachonline/default.htm

Moving Forward: Online educational and life coaching program that teaches Problem Solving skills (8 classes) to help Veterans to better handle life’s challenges. It is designed to be especially helpful for Veterans, Military Service Members, and their families.

http://www.veterantraining.va.gov/apps/movingforward/index.html
Afterdeployment.org: Self-care solutions targeting post-traumatic stress, depression, anger, anxiety, stigma, mild TBI, sleep, health & wellness, MST, financial health, work adjustment, and other behavioral health challenges commonly faced after a deployment. http://afterdeployment.t2.health.mil/

Veteran Parenting: Online course featuring key tools to support your parenting. This parenting strategies learning program is targeted to Service Member and Veteran parents. You will find guidance to help you reconnect with your children after a deployment and beyond. http://www.veterantraining.va.gov/apps/veteranparenting/index.html

Veterans Crisis Line: Connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1. www.veteranscrisisline.net

FREE ONLINE EDUCATIONAL / INFORMATION SITES
Make the Connection: A national, public awareness campaign that features candid, personal testimonials from Veterans and their loved ones. This website gives information on everything from transitioning out of the military, homelessness, depression, anxiety, feeling on edge, chronic pain, drugs/alcohol problems, and countless other topics. www.maketheconnection.net

V.E.T.S.: serves America’s veterans and separating service members by preparing them for meaningful careers, providing employment resources and expertise, and protecting their employment rights. http://www.dol.gov/vets/

Veterans Employment Toolkit: http://www.va.gov/vetsinworkplace/

Hire Our Heroes: https://www.hireheroesusa.org/

FREE MENTAL HEALTH SMARTPHONE APPS FOR VETERANS
Resource list compiled by: Brittany Hartzell, Psy.D., Local Recovery Coordinator, Fayetteville VAMC

US DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS & DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, SMARTPHONE APPS

The Mindfulness Coach App provides you with tools and guided exercises to help you practice mindfulness, which means paying purposeful attention to the present moment without passing judgment on it or your feelings. Mindfulness Coach can be used alone, but is not intended as a substitute for therapy (iPhone only).

The PTSD Coach App helps you learn about and cope with the symptoms related to Posttraumatic Stress (PTS) that occur following trauma. PTSD Coach can be used alone, but is not intended as a substitute for mental health treatment.

The Virtual Hope Box (VHB ) contains simple tools to help patients with coping, relaxation, distraction, and positive thinking. Patients and providers can work together to personalize the VHB content on the patient’s own smartphone according to the patient’s specific needs.

Breathe2Relax is a portable stress management tool. Breathe2Relax is a hands-on diaphragmatic breathing exercise. Breathing exercises have been documented to decrease the body’s ‘fight-or-flight’ (stress) response, and help with mood stabilization, anger control, substance use urges, and anxiety management.

Tactical Breather App can be used to gain control over physiological and psychological responses to stress. Through repetitive practice and training, anyone can learn to gain control of your heart rate, emotions, concentration, and other physiological and psychological responses to your body during stressful situations.

Moving Forward App provides on-the-go tools and teaches problem solving skills to overcome obstacles and deal with stress. It is especially helpful in managing challenges such as: returning to civilian life, balancing school and family life, financial difficulties, relationship problems, difficult career decisions, and coping with physical injuries.

T2 Mood Tracker App: The app records a range of emotions for anxiety, depression, head injury, stress, posttraumatic stress and a user’s general well-being. Users can also create items to track their progress in unique areas. The saved results are displayed in an easy-understand graph. The data is saved in a graphical or spreadsheet file which can be transferred by e-mail or other wireless connection.
Resource list compiled by: Brittany Hartzell, Psy.D., Local Recovery Coordinator, Fayetteville VAMC

Life Armor: Comprehensive learning and self-management tool to assist with common mental health concerns. Contains information on 17 topics, including sleep, depression, anger, relationship issues, substance use, and post-traumatic stress. Brief self-assessments help the user measure and track their symptoms, and tools are available to assist with managing specific problems.

The Concussion Coach App provides you with resources to help you manage symptoms of concussion or mild to moderate traumatic brain injury. Concussion Coach can be used alone, but may be more helpful when used along with treatment from a provider.

Together Strong: Interactive app that lets you practice what to say and do when a peer is struggling with adjustment to civilian life. Through interactive role-play and simulations, you’ll become prepared to have a conversation that will motivate a friend to seek help, build resilience, and lead a positive life.

Parenting2Go App helps Veterans and Service Members reconnect with their children and provides convenient tools to strengthen parenting skills. Parents can find quick parenting advice; relaxation tools to use when frustrated or stressed; tools for positive communication; and strategies to switch gears between military
life and home.

Stay Quit Coach App helps you “stay quit” after you stop smoking with tools to control cravings, reminder messages and support links. Stay Quit Coach is best used while in treatment with a therapist or after your treatment has ended.

MOVE! Coach Mobile (MCM) is a weight loss app for Veterans, service members, their families who want to lose weight. This 19-week program can monitor, track,and receive feedback regarding progress with weight, diet, and exercise goals. This app also helps teach SMART goals and problem-solving skills to overcome barriers.

Positive Activity Jackpot (Android/Google play only): Positive Activity Jackpot uses a professional behavioral health therapy called pleasant event scheduling (PES), which is used to overcome depression and build resilience. This app features technology to help users find nearby enjoyable activities and makes activity suggestions with local options and the ability to invite friends.

BioZen: This app takes many of the large medical sensors in a clinic and puts them in the hands of anyone with a smart phone. Showing real-time data from multiple body sensors including electroencephalogram (EEG), electromyography (EMG), galvanic skin response (GSR), electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), respiratory rate, and skin temperature to show users their meditative & attentive cognitive states.

Resource list compiled by: Brittany Hartzell, Psy.D., Local Recovery Coordinator, Fayetteville VAMC
US DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS SMARTPHONE APPS, FOR USE WITH THERAPY

The ACT Coach App helps you work with a mental health professional during Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT aims to help you live with unpleasant thoughts and feelings without avoiding them or being controlled by them. ACT Coach is not a self-help tool and should only be used while in therapy with a provider.

The CBT-i Coach App helps you get the most out of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) so that you can develop good sleep habits and sleep better. CBT-i Coach is best used while in therapy with a provider.

The CPT Coach App helps you work with your therapist during Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). CPT is used to reduce symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by helping you work through your thoughts and feelings about your trauma, and decrease avoidance of difficult memories. The App helps you track your progress, appointments and PTSD symptoms. CPT Coach is not a self-help tool and should only be used while in therapy with a provider.

The PE Coach App helps you work with a mental health professional during Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy. PE therapy is used to reduce symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by helping you decrease distress about your trauma by engaging with reminders of the experience (triggers). The App helps you track your progress, appointments and PTSD symptoms. PE Coach is not a self-help tool and should only be used while in therapy with a provider.

OTHER APPS NOT FROM US DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS/DoD & NOT ENDORSED BY VA

WebMD Pain Coach App offers a holistic approach to balancing lifestyle with chronic pain conditions to help inspire a better day. It is a mobile companion to help you through daily health and wellness choices so you can better manage your chronic pain. Enjoy a personalized experience as physician-reviewed tips related to your specific condition are delivered daily to you. The App puts you in control of your lifestyle choices so you can review personal patterns to understand triggers, set goals, and easily share progress with your physician.

Suicide Safe: Designed for providers, but can help Veterans and family members by equipping them with education and support resources to assess risk of suicide, communicate effectively with patients and families, determine appropriate next steps, and make referrals to treatment and community resources.

Addicaid – Addiction Recovery Support: Free phone app dedicated to the prevention & treatment of addiction & alcoholism. Find and rate support meetings for a variety of addictions, track your progress, complete daily goals, and stay inspired to maintain sobriety with their newsfeed including news, videos, and music.
Resource list compiled by: Brittany Hartzell, Psy.D., Local Recovery Coordinator, Fayetteville VAMC

Quit That!: Simple app to track all the habit/addiction you are trying to quit. Find out how many hours, days, minutes, weeks, or years it has been since you quit each habit/addiction. Need extra motivation? You can also keep track of how much money you have saved since quitting!

Take a Break! Guided Meditations for Stress Relief: From the developers of relaxation apps at Meditation Oasis comes this free app to quickly recharge. Listen to a seven-minute Work Break or 13-minute Stress Relief recording with or without music or nature sounds

Relax and Sleep Well with Glenn Harold (FREE): Twenty-nine minute guided meditation with music to help you fall and stay asleep. Relaxing and gentle, another free App available is: Relax with Andrew Johnson Lite (14 minute meditation).

Sleep Bug: Can’t fall asleep to the sound of noisy neighbors or honking cars? Sleep Bug is the perfect on-demand white noise machine. Get transported to the beach, a zen garden, or the middle of a jungle with the push of a button. There’s also a custom timer and even the ability to add noises—like rain or a whale’s call—to the scene.

US DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS SMARTPHONE APPS, NON-MENTAL HEALTH APPS

The 311VET: App was designed for Veterans to ask general VA Benefits questions and receive answers 24/7/365 from any mobile device, allowing answers at any time and from anywhere. 311VET allows Veterans to gather information on Health Care Benefits, Pensions, Life Insurance, Dependents and Survivors Benefits, and much more.  Web-based

Launchpad: The VA Mobile Launchpad houses all Apps for Veterans that connect to VA’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) and access your personal VA health information. By signing into the VA Mobile Launchpad once with a DS Logon Level 2 (Premium) Account, you can access multiple resources without logging in to each App or website individually. **Web app (link to website) https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/launchpad/

New phone resources are routinely becoming available for our Veteran and Active Duty Service Members. You may wish to check the following websites for additional or new smart phone applications:
 The Department of Veteran Affairs App Store: https://mobile.va.gov/appstore/all
 The National Center for Telehealth & Technology (T2) is part of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE). The mission of T2 is to lead the innovation of health technology solutions for psychological health and deliver tested, valued health solutions that improve the lives of our nation’s warriors, veterans, and their families. http://www.t2health.dcoe.mil/products/mobile-apps

Government, Kansas

Westar Rate Decrease

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Governor Colyer Responds to Westar Rate Decrease

 

Topeka – Governor Jeff Colyer M.D. thanked the Kansas Corporation Commission today for their unanimous decision to order pass along savings from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) bill to Westar electric customers.

 

Earlier this year, Governor Colyer sent a letter to Kansas utility companies urging them to ensure that ratepayers saw a decrease in their utility bills from the tax cuts given to utility companies by the Federal Government. The settlement was unanimously approved today by the Kansas Corporation Commission for Westar customers to receive a reduction to their electric rates of $66 million dollars annually. That is the equivalent of approximately $3.80 per month for the average residential customer. In addition, Westar has agreed to provide a one-time credit of $50 million to customers representing the tax savings received by the company since the beginning of 2018 due to the TCJA.

 

“I am pleased that Westar and the KCC have settled on a rate decrease that passes savings on to our hard-working Kansans,” said Governor Colyer. “This action will allow businesses and families to stretch their dollars further thanks to actual savings on their monthly utility bills.”

Kansas City Power and Light, Kansas Gas Service, and other utility companies also have rate cases currently before the KCC that will consider the impact of the tax cuts to customer rates. An order regarding these companies’ utility rates will be issued by the KCC over the next several months.

Business, Fort Scott

La Hacienda Offers Calorie Counted Meals on New Menu

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Mirna Santana, one of the owners of La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, holds the new menu which includes sections of calorie and fat counted food offerings.

The La Hacienda Restaurant recently redesigned its’ menu to include selections in which the calories and fat content have been counted for those wishing to eat healthier.

A Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways Grant financed the initiative whose purpose was to increase food transparency, Jody Hoener said.

Hoener is a part of the Restaurant and Food Retail subcommittee of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team that consists of Sherise Beckham (Registered Dietitian) and Joy Miller (RD)and Hoener.

“Joy was able to use KSTATE Extension software to calculate nutritional content,” Hoener said.

The restaurant collaborated on the calorie/fat content additions with a Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways To Healthy Kansas Initiative.

La Hacienda owners have pledged to increase access to healthy food, she said.

The new counted calorie menu items are spread throughout the listings and are highlighted in green.

The front of the new La Hacienda Restaurant menu.

 

 

Bourbon County Local News